Anybody have a volt booster with FAST?

[Whut]

I am sitting here trying to figure out what the heck is going on with my car.

Two weeks ago I dyno'd it. It was running rich but on a Mustang Dyno it pulled 407 rwhp and 606 rwtq. Last week I took it to the track and the best run I had was an 11.95 letting off at the 1/8th because my knock gauge was creeping more than I liked.

The only difference between the dyno and the track is I added one of those volt booster things. I am going to take it off but am just wondering if anyone else has used one and if it degraded their performance.

Basically, at the dyno, things were looking real nice. At the track, the KR thing for the first pass. I blew off the PCV cap and the FPR hose on the second pass. The third pass (when I actually remembered to log my passes) I pulled -5% from my spark table and left everything else the same. On that pass things felt ok but I went slower (12.02 @ 114 MPH). The last pass before I decided to pack it up I put the 5% timing back in, added a 50/50 blend of non-oxy 91 octane and 110 race fuel and ran it like that. I backfired around the 1/8th and shut it down so I ended up running a 12.40 @ 97 MPH.

I cant see anything in the log that would show me about to backfire, lean or rich, I just dont see it. What I do see is my TPS is 93 (WOT) and my fuel lbs/hr starts to drop while the boost creeps up. The fuel lbs/hr and the injector DC just up and drop to almost idle levels while the car is still at WOT with 25.4 PSI of boost. Thats when the backfire happened and I let out.

None of this happened before the volt booster was installed. My tune is a mess and I know this which is another story. Its fat, I know it robs power and I am working on that. Before the volt booster, when I was racing this thing every weekend, I could flog it all night running mid 11's. It would fall on its face at the big end due to being so rich but it never blew off hoses and dropped my fuel off like someone shut off my fuel pump like this.

BTW, I can hear the pump running so I know its not bad, yet. It could be running out of pressure but why would it choose to do this now at this very moment when nothing more than a little volt booster was added. It ran harder on the dyno than I ran it at the track too. I am just confused and giving myself a headache.

Cal, if you see this, please know I am at your mercy. I cant blow this thing up, well, I guess I can but I dont want to. I got everything, I just need it all to work together for once.

 

[krom]

I have used a casper unit on my car with a F.A.S.T and a now XFI. No problems.

 

[Whut]

Ok, well I got lazy and didnt take it out. I am currently sitting in my car about to log a "key on" log to show how my MAP is floating all over the place even when the car is not running.

This whole thing could be as simple as my MAP sensor being messed up. I sure hope this is the case but a fuel pump test is coming up next.

 

[Whut]

spoke to soon, the MAP is fine. :redface:

 

[oldtimer]

I ran 9.70 with a volt booster on with the old sequential F.A.S.T. I'm assuming that your reason for putting the volt booster on was to increase your voltage to your fuel pump and ignition etc. Did you log the voltage on each of your passes ... was it increased from the pre-volt booster logs? or did you have less voltage ?

just a thought,

George

 

[Whut]

No, what do you think I am, smart?

Actually my dash wasnt set up to record voltage. I was more looking at everything related to o2's but now I am setting up to record with the volt booster on.

Now another question, I also have a boost-a-pump. Do you think those two would cause a conflict?

 

[oldtimer]

"your quote"

Now another question, I also have a boost-a-pump. Do you think those two would cause a conflict?

I can't comment on the conflict between the two, but I did have a fuel pressure problem on one of my GN's. I bought this one from the previous owner and it ran beautiful for 2 years. Then all of a sudden, like one day, I had fuel pressure problems. I thought it was the fuel pump so I was going to replace it. While I was under the dash checking for something else, I noticed that the previous owner had installed one of the original FUEL ENHANCER gadjets from Quad Air.
I wondered if that could be the problem, so I removed it. Car ran like a top, once it was out of there. I still have it. I'm going to start a Buick "old technology" museum, to put along with my old "water cooled" up pipe. and other things.

I'd get the gadgets off your car and replace them with good stuff. I don't run the volt booster anymore. I've converted to a
16 volt system. Mind you, my present GN doesn't see the street very often, although it's street legal ... well .... mostly

Again, just a thought.

George

 

[Whut]

Where did you get the higher voltage system from? My car doesnt see the street much either and its by far not street legal so I dont care. I just want this thing to run strong like I built it instead of hanging with mostly stock bolt-on Buicks.

No offense to northerngn :tongue:

 

[Whut]

Just because, here is a list of most everything on my car.

• 245 CI Forged/Stroked/Roller Motor
• JE Forged Pistons
• Carillo Forged Rods
• Buick Motorsports Forged Stroker Crankshaft
• T&D Titanium Roller Rockers
• Comp Cams 212/212 Hydraulic Roller Cam
• F.A.S.T. Classic Engine Control Unit (Fuel Air Spark speed density tuning)
• MSD 72 lb/hr fuel injectors
• Full Billet 200-4r Transmission by Master Transmission
• Art Carr 19930 stall converter (restalled to 3500)
• Precision TA-51 turbo bored to .63 housing (stock appearing)
• Precision Remote Oiling system (Oil filter relocated behind headlight)
• RJC Racing boost plenum “power” plate
• Accufab Adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator
• Aluminum radiator with 160 Degree Thermostat
• Custom Front Mount Intercooler 3” all the way
• Alky Control progressive methanol injection system
• 3” Terry Houston down-pipe /w test pipe and dump tube
• Walbro 340 255 liter/hr high pressure fuel pump with “hotwire” kit
• Kenne-Bell Boost-A-Pump 40 Amp volt booster
• Tru-Cool custom 48 row transmission cooler

 

[oldtimer]

It's not a cheap transition. You'll need an alternator, battery and 16 volt battery charger. These can all be purchased from Powermaster.

The power windows just fly up and down :biggrin:

If your going to relocate the battery to the trunk, you'll need a master cutoff switch, battery hold down/box, 17 to18 feet of 1 guage battery or welding cable. Also 17 feet of 4 guage cable to charge the battery ( alternator to battery ) and a wise idea would be to run a 4 guage ground cable from the battery back up to the front to ground your XFI to, rather than grounding the battery to the frame back by the trunk. Good grounds are critical with the XFI.

You can get the battery relocation stuff in a kit form thru JEGS, SUMMIT etc.

Do a search on "16 volt systems", "battery to trunk relocation". There's a ton of info listed.

George

 

[Whut]

The battery relocation I can do pretty easy. My buddy did it with his GN, for what reason I am not sure but he did and now has his turbo saver mounted where the battery used to be.

For everything else, thanks for the info. One thing though, will an upgrade like this make my arm crank faster? I got a stripper, no power nothing but the motor.

 

[oldtimer]

"Your quote"

for what reason I am not sure

traction !!!! lower 60 foots !!!:biggrin: :biggrin:

Can't comment on your arm

George

 

[HighPSI]

Ok, well I got lazy and didnt take it out. I am currently sitting in my car about to log a "key on" log to show how my MAP is floating all over the place even when the car is not running.

If this is happening, 90% of the time it's because the MAF is still plugged in.

Cal, if you see this, please know I am at your mercy. I cant blow this thing up, well, I guess I can but I dont want to. I got everything, I just need it all to work together for once.

I will call you today, and we'll get her fixed. Hopefully it's not the used FAST box you bought. If so, I will make you a great deal on an XFI :tongue:

 

[Whut]

If this is happening, 90% of the time it's because the MAF is still plugged in.



I will call you today, and we'll get her fixed. Hopefully it's not the used FAST box you bought. If so, I will make you a great deal on an XFI :tongue:

MAF? Whats that.

Seriously though, I havent had a MAF on this car for years now. Whats odd though is Dan (northerngn) also noticed the MAP moving oddly. We took it out and put a two bar MAP in just as a test. It showed my alky was working as it turned it on full speed but my MAP sat still. Now, after putting my three bar back in, its sitting still too. Odd stuff.

Also tomorrow I am going to do a fuel pump test. If the results from that are fine I am going to borrow someones spare classic box and see if maybe that is an issue. If the box is screwed up I will be taking you up on that offer for XFI sooner than I thought.

 

[Whut]

Just as a followup to my original post.

I went out tonight (first time with darkend skies) and did a little investigating on the backfire issue. The volt booster aint doing nothing but boosting the voltage. I could really see how when I hit 20 PSI+ boost every light on the car got brighter. So yeah, its working and not messing anything up. The messing up is still left at myself. :frown:

 

[Dr.drivability]

Just as a followup to my original post.

I went out tonight (first time with darkend skies) and did a little investigating on the backfire issue. The volt booster aint doing nothing but boosting the voltage. I could really see how when I hit 20 PSI+ boost every light on the car got brighter. So yeah, its working and not messing anything up. The messing up is still left at myself. :frown:

So is a casper volt booster an issue w/ xfi?? Cal, let us know!! I took mine off. BTW, The car has never run as good as it does now w/ cal's program!!!!

 

[Whut]

So is a casper volt booster an issue w/ xfi?? Cal, let us know!! I took mine off. BTW, The car has never run as good as it does now w/ cal's program!!!!

I would say no, its not messing me up.

 

[Louie L.]

Just my opinion and not that it will fix your problem, but i would not run a volt booster in combination with a boost a pump. THat device has to be freaking out. It is made to boost voltage , but it self getting hit suddenly with high voltage. I just dont think that this device can deal with high + when its made itself to do the same thing.

 

[Whut]

Just my opinion and not that it will fix your problem, but i would not run a volt booster in combination with a boost a pump. THat device has to be freaking out. It is made to boost voltage , but it self getting hit suddenly with high voltage. I just dont think that this device can deal with high + when its made itself to do the same thing.

So far no problems, they seem to be working together just fine but I guess time will tell.

For another follow up, I found my problem and it started over a year ago. I had an electrical mishap (read, I turned my alternator into a toaster while making a pass at the track). Ever since then I have had this problem but different things kept cropping up as possibly being the culprit.

To make a long story short I had two blow torched plugs with no ground straps on them. I have replaced the plugs and wires and tested my ignition system and found it to be working. The problem has not been back since the change. I am going to swap the plugs again in a couple thousand miles just to make sure this was a one time thing.

 

[northerngn]

Where did you get the higher voltage system from? My car doesnt see the street much either and its by far not street legal so I dont care. I just want this thing to run strong like I built it instead of hanging with mostly stock bolt-on Buicks.

No offense to northerngn :tongue:

considered a compliment

good to know im still a threat with stock junk:biggrin:
-dan